Indigo is a deep blue hue, first obtained
in ancient times from the Indian indigo
plant. Its dark blue was considered by
many cultures and religions as a symbol
of infinity and immortality. As a color
it has a calming effect on the human body
and thus enables keeping a cool head,
exactly what the players should try to do
in this game as they try to gain the most
precious jewels.

Game Idea and Goal
In Indigo players try to collect the most valuable gemstones.
They place path tiles which permit movement to gems at the exits at the edge of
the playing area. These exits belong to them alone or are shared with
another player. In the first case other players come up empty,
but in the second the second player is also rewarded with a gem!

With two players there are no goals in common.
The gems next to the game board are not needed.

3players

1. 2 red

2. 1 red 1 turquoise

3. 2 white

4. 1 white 1 red

5. 2 turquoise

6. 1 turquoise 1 white

With three players each player has sole
ownership of one goal.
Each shares two others with an opponent.
Alternative setup for three-player game:
You can, as in the two-player game, also play with exclusively owned
goals. In this case each player owns only
two goals. Place the goals
in clockwise order as follows:
red, turquoise, white,
red, turquoise, white.

4players

1. 1 red 1 turquoise

2. 1 turquoise 1 white

3. 1 red 1 purple

4. 1 purple 1 turquoise

5. 1 white 1 red

6. 1 white 1 purple

With four players a player shares a goals with each opponent.

Now each player draws a path tile from one of the
face-down piles and holds it so that only he can see
the front. Now you're ready to start!

Course of Play
The youngest player begins. Then the game proceeds
clockwise. The player whose turn it is places a path tile. Then a gem may get moved. Then he
draws a new tile.

1. Placing Tiles
The player lays any of his path tiles
on any vacant space.
The panel can be completely free of
or adjacent to any number of already occupied
spaces (in the German rules
see picture labeled Abb. 1).
Exception:
It is not permitted to block two
exits by placing a curve directly on both
exits (see Abb. 2).

Moving Gems
When a gem is adjacent to a path on a
just placed tile, it is now moved:

Treasure Tile
When a path tile is placed adjacent to a
treasure tile marked with an arrow the
player moves its gem in the
direction of the arrow to the end of the
adjacent path:
When adjacent to the
treasure tile at the edge
(see Abb. 3), he moves the yellow gem.
When the path tile is adjacent to
the treasure tile in the center
(see Abb. 4) the gem moved is always a
green emerald until only the blue
sapphire remains. The latter will always
be the last gem moved from this treasure
tile (it moves just like all the others, by laying
a path tile).

Path Tiles
When a placed tile extends a longer
path for a gem (see Fig. 5), the player moves
it all the way to the new end of this path
(see Fig. 6). The gem must always follow
the predetermined path. It may never
make a sharp turn on a tile or move backwards.
If more than one gem is adjacent to the
newly-palaced tile, all of them are
moved (see Abb. 7).

Note: If two gems meet
on the same path they are
removed from play (see Abb. 8)!
A gem is never
placed back on a treasure tile.

Gaining Gems
When a gem is moved to the edge of the
playing area it is taken by
the player who owns the goal (see Abb. 9).
When the goal is owned by two players
the second player also gets a gem (in the
same color), taken from the supply (see
Abb. 10).

To explain:
When a goal is owned by
two players, they share all 6
exits to this goal. Regardless of which
of the six exits the gem uses,
both players receive a gem. When a goal
belongs to only one player, of course, only
that gem is gained.

Gained gems are stored behind a player's
screen.

2. Drawing Tiles
At the end of a turn the player draws a
new path tile from one of the piles.
Then it is the next player's turn.

End of the Game
As soon as there are no more gems on the
game board, the game ends. All players
score their gems:
Each blue sapphire: 3 points
Each green emerald: 2 points
Each yellow amber: 1 points
The player with the most points wins.
In case of a tie, the tied player with more
gems wins. If it is still tied, there are
multiple winners.

Tips:

Of course you may play several
rounds. Add up the points earned on each
round.

For a more strategic game, each
player receives at the start two path
tiles. After placing one he draws another
as usual. Thus he always chooses between two
tiles to play. All of the other rules
remain unchanged.

Designer and publisher thank all of the
playtesters who have contributed to the
development of Indigo, especially Iain
Adams, Ross Inglis and Kevin Jacklin.